Worry mounts in Egypt as protesters dig in heels

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Photos:Photos: Unrest in Egypt

Unrest in Egypt – A bus passes a destroyed pickup truck with loudspeakers that was used by supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy on Friday, August 2. The supporters and security forces clashed in Sixth of October City in Giza, south of Cairo, after the government ordered their protest camps be broken up. Look at the latest violence in Egypt.

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Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters walk past makeshift roadblocks at Rabaa al-Adawiya Square in Cairo on Saturday, August 3. Security forces set up the roadblocks outside the square, allowing people to leave but not enter, as they attempt to break up camps set up during ongoing protests over Morsy's ouster.

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Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters run among the smoke and fire resulting from clashes with security forces in Sixth of October City in Giza on August 2. The military ousted Morsy, Egypt's first democratically elected president, in early July after days of mass demonstrations. Dozens of Morsy backers angry at Egypt's military-backed government have died in weekend violence in the volatile nation's capital. See photos of protests that have engulfed the country.

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Unrest in Egypt – Egyptian riot police block the entrance to Sixth of October City in Giza on August 2 following clashes with Morsy supporters.

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Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters in red helmets march during a protest against the government in Cairo on August 2. Pro-Morsy marches began after Friday prayers, when supporters made their way back to their camp outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque.

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Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters march in a demonstration against the Egyptian government in Cairo on August 2.

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Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Egypt's deposed President Mohammed Morsy gather for prayers at Nasr City, where protesters have installed a camp and hold daily rallies, in Cairo, on Sunday, July 28.

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Unrest in Egypt – A boy wears a tear gas mask as supporters of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsy pray at the camp set up by supporters in the Nasr City area of Cairo on July 28.

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Unrest in Egypt – Doctors treat an injured supporter of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy during clashes with security forces in Cairo on Saturday, July 27.

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Unrest in Egypt – A wounded Morsy supporter lies on the floor of a field hospital in Cairo on July 27. Thousands of Morsy supporters gathered Saturday in the Nasr City neighborhood despite dozens of deaths the night before and veiled threats from the military.

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Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Morsy protest outside a field hospital in Cairo where the bodies of slain Morsy supporters have been brought July 27.

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Unrest in Egypt – The body of a Muslim Brotherhood protester, reportedly shot dead after violence erupted the night before, is moved as mourners watch inside a field hospital in Cairo on July 27.

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Unrest in Egypt – Two men mourn Morsy supporters who were killed in overnight clashes with security forces, in Cairo, on July 27.

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Unrest in Egypt – A medic pauses at a field hospital in Cairo on July 27 after tending to the bodies of Morsy supporters reportedly killed in fighting.

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Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Morsy carry an injured man to a field hospital amid clashes with security forces in Cairo on July 27.

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Unrest in Egypt – Doctors treat a Morsy supporter injured during clashes with security forces in Cairo on July 27.

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Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Morsy rally in Giza, on Friday, July 26.

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Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of the Egyptian military rally at Tahrir Square in Cairo on Friday, July 26.

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Unrest in Egypt – Morsy opponents rally in Cairo on July 26.

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Unrest in Egypt – Morsy opponents watch a demonstration from a rooftop near Tahrir Square in Cairo on July 26.

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Unrest in Egypt – Egyptian soldiers stand guard atop an armored vehicle on a bridge leading to Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday, July 26.

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Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy advocate builds a giant portrait of the deposed president Thursday, July 25, while other supporters hold a sit-in outside a Cairo mosque. The military has detained Morsy while an interim government takes shape.

Unrest in Egypt – A man with a pistol and other Morsy opponents detain a suspected Morsy supporter who was wounded during clashes in Cairo on Monday, July 22. Supporters and opponents clashed near the city's Tahrir Square.

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Unrest in Egypt – Men evacuate an injured opponent of Morsy during clashes with his supporters in Cairo on July 22.

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Unrest in Egypt – A man fires a gun during clashes between opponents and supporters of Morsy in Cairo on July 22.

Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters run from tear gas in Cairo on July 15.

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Unrest in Egypt – Egyptians in Cairo's Tahrir Square pray before breaking their fast on the third day of Ramadan, the sacred holy month for Muslims, on Friday, July 12.

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Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of the deposed Morsy rally in Nasr City, Egypt, a suburb of Cairo, on Monday, July 8.

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Unrest in Egypt – A man reacts after seeing the body of a family member at the Liltaqmeen al-Sahy Hospital in Cairo, allegedly killed during a sit-in supporting Morsy in front of the Republican Guard headquarters on July 8.

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Unrest in Egypt – Injured men receive medical attention after clashes between supporters of Morsy and security forces in Cairo on July 8.

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Unrest in Egypt – Opponents of Mohamed Morsy gather at Tahrir Square during a protest in Cairo on Sunday, July 7.

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Unrest in Egypt – Supporters of Morsy pray next to the headquarters of the Republican Guards in Cairo on Saturday, July 6, during the funeral of seven people killed during clashes.

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Unrest in Egypt – People carry coffins on July 6 of two Morsy opponents who were killed during clashes in Cairo.

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Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy supporter joins protests near the University of Cairo in Giza on July 6.

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Unrest in Egypt – Supporters and opponents of Morsy clash in Cairo on Friday, July 5.

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Unrest in Egypt – A protester is attended to in Cairo's Tahrir Square during fighting between the pro- and anti-Morsy crowds on July 5.

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Unrest in Egypt – An Egyptian military helicopter hovers over supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and deposed President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo on July 5.

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Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters hold up their bloodstained hands after Egypt's armed forces opened fire on rally in front of the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo on July 5.

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Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters carry a man who was shot during clashes next to the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo on July 5. State broadcaster Nile TV said a number of those backing the deposed leader were wounded as they tried to storm the headquarters, where Morsy reportedly was being held.

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Unrest in Egypt – A wounded man is helped following the gun battle outside the headquarters of the Republican Guard on July 5.

Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters react to an explosion during clashes with police officers on July 5 outside Cairo University in Giza.

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Unrest in Egypt – Egyptian Army soldiers stand guard at the Cairo headquarters of the Republican Guard on July 5 as an Apache attack helicopter flies overhead.

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Unrest in Egypt – Morsy supporters pray near the University of Cairo in Giza on July 5.

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Unrest in Egypt – A man prays on July 5 before the protest near the University of Cairo.

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Unrest in Egypt – Protesters take cover from tear gas during clashes outside the headquarters of the Republican Guard in Cairo on July 5.

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Unrest in Egypt – A military helicopter flies by Egypt's Presidential Palace in Cairo on July 5.

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Unrest in Egypt – Egyptians watch fireworks in Tahrir Square on Thursday, July 4, the day after Morsy's ouster.

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Unrest in Egypt – People dance and cheer in the streets of Cairo on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy supporter holds a poster of the deposed president during a July 4 rally in Nasr City.

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Unrest in Egypt – A massive crowd gathers in Tahrir Square on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – Egyptians cheer and wave national flags as airplanes fly above Tahrir Square on July 4, leaving a trail of smoke in the colors of the national flag.

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Unrest in Egypt – A woman uses a mobile phone to record the July 4 celebrations in Tahrir Square.

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Unrest in Egypt – An opposition protester chants slogans against Morsy near Cairo University, where Muslim Brotherhood supporters gathered on July 4 to show support for the ousted president.

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Unrest in Egypt – A man holds a newspaper near Mesaha Square in Cairo on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – Dejected Morsy supporters attend a rally in Nasr City on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy supporter shows his bloodied shirt during a July 4 rally near the University of Cairo.

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Unrest in Egypt – A young Egyptian boy shoots off fireworks during celebrations in Tahrir Square on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – People walk by a pile of Egyptian flags for sale in Tahrir Square on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – Crowds throng Tahrir Square on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – Egyptian soldiers deploy near Cairo University on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – People dance and cheer at Tahrir Square in Cairo on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – Adly Mansour, center, stands after delivering a speech during his swearing-in ceremony as Egypt's interim president in the Supreme Constitutional Court in Cairo on July 4. Mansour has served as the head of the country's Supreme Constitutional Court.

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Unrest in Egypt – Armored vehicles with the Egyptian army sit at a checkpoint in the Cairo district of Nasr City on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – A Morsy supporter reacts as a military helicopter flies over during a July 4 rally in Nasr City.

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Unrest in Egypt – A boy with face paint the color of the Egyptian flag pauses on July 4 in Tahrir Square.

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Unrest in Egypt – A pedestrian shakes hands with a member of the military at a roadblock in Giza.

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Unrest in Egypt – Security personnel rest on July 4 in Tahrir Square.

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Unrest in Egypt – A man walks to Tahrir Square on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – A family sleeps on a bridge near Tahrir Square on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – A member of the Egyptian military redirects traffic on July 4 at a roadblock in Giza.

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Unrest in Egypt – Bread is sold near Tahrir Square on July 4.

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Unrest in Egypt – An Egyptian military member guards a roadblock in Giza on July 4.

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Story highlights

Egypt's prime minister acknowledges tough situation, says country isn't out of control

Civilians are in charge in Egypt, prime minister says

Officials to pro-Morsy protesters: End demonstrations or face "decisive decisions"

Military copters drop leaflets on protesters, warning them to steer clear of security forces

Tensions are running high in Egypt nearly a month after the July 3 ouster of Mohamed Morsy, the country's first democratically elected president. Here are five things to know about what's going on in the pivotal North African nation:

Anxiety is thick in Egypt amid government preparations to evict pro-Morsy demonstrators

Meanwhile, those whose protests led to Morsy's ouster -- secularists and liberals -- find themselves aligned, at least in part, with the military-backed government.

Protests in Cairo and elsewhere have turned violent, with dozens killed Saturday in Cairo in clashes between demonstrators and security forces. And more violence is possible amid government warnings to pro-Morsy demonstrators to end their protests.

Egyptians fear more bloodshed to come

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The country isn't spiraling out of control, Interim Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi said Monday in an interview to be aired on CNN's "Amanpour."

"The situation is tense of course," he said. "No one can dispute that we have a very difficult situation."

But the government is merely trying to restore order after a month of chaotic demonstrations, he said.

However, a Muslim Brotherhood coalition that opposes Morsy's ouster said those behind his removal are "threatening national security by dragging the Egyptian army into a conflict with the majority of Egyptians, and by involving the army in attacks on peaceful demonstrators, causing a breach between the people and their army."

Since taking power from Morsy on July 3, Egypt's military has installed an interim civilian government with Adly Mansour as interim president. He issued a decree giving himself some legislative power and outlining a path toward new elections.

But Egypt's generals still wield significant power. For instance, last week it was Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the country's defense minister, not the president, who called for mass protests in support of the military, asking supporters to provide a "referendum to take firm action against violence and terrorism."

El-Beblawi said he believes the civilian government is calling the shots.

"As far as I am concerned, I feel very much in charge with my council of ministers, and I haven't seen any indication or any sign from anyone to tell me what to be done," he told CNN's Hala Gorani. "The moment I feel that the civilian government is besieged, I will put in my resignation."

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He hasn't been seen publicly since the military forced him from office.

The state-run EGYNews reported Sunday that an Egyptian delegation granted permission to visit him said he is being held at an undisclosed military facility along with his chief of staff and his secretary.

El-Beblawi didn't elaborate Monday on Morsy's location, but said he is being well cared for and detained in part for his own safety. Catherine Ashton, the European Union's top diplomat, was expected to meet him during her visit to Egypt Monday, El-Beblawi said.

The former president is being held in relation for a jailbreak that took place during Egypt's 2011 revolution but well before he came to power, state media reported.

Prosecutors have said the escape of Morsy and 18 other Brotherhood members, among others, was plotted by "foreign elements" including Hamas, the Islamic Palestinian Army and Hezbollah.

Morsy, who local media reports say was in prison for a single day without any formal charges against him, is accused of escaping, destroying the prison's official records and intentionally killing and abducting police officers and prisoners.

The international community is worried

Rights groups and international leaders are concerned about the violence that's already occurred, and the threat of more.

Human Rights Watch on Sunday accused the government of intentionally killing protesters. The rights group says it based its assessment on witness interviews and video footage that in some cases appeared to show security forces shooting to kill.

"The use of deadly fire on such a scale so soon after the interim president announced the need to impose order by force suggests a shocking willingness by the police and by certain politicians to ratchet up violence against pro-Morsy protesters," Nadim Houry, the group's deputy Middle East and North Africa director, said in a statement. "It is almost impossible to imagine that so many killings would take place without an intention to kill, or at least a criminal disregard for people's lives."

Ashton is visiting Egypt on Monday, hoping to help quell the violence.

"I am going to Egypt to speak to all sides and to reinforce our message that there must be a fully inclusive transition process, taking in all political groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood," Ashton said in a statement." This process must lead -- as soon as possible -- to constitutional order, free and fair elections and a civilian-led government. I will also repeat my call to end all violence. I deeply deplore the loss of life."

On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry talked with Egypt's interim vice president and foreign minister, expressing the administration's concern about the violence.

"This is a pivotal moment for Egypt," Kerry said in a statement Saturday. "Over two years ago, the revolution began. Its final verdict is not decided, but it will be forever impacted by what happens now."

Things could get uglier

The government is threatening to break up demonstrations in what could well be another bloody confrontation between demonstrators and security forces.

On Sunday, Mansour, Egypt's interim president, issued a powder-keg decree making preparations for a possible "state of emergency," the EGYnews website reported.

"State of emergency" is a loaded term in Egypt, where former President Hosni Mubarak ruled for 30 years under an emergency decree that barred unauthorized assembly, restricted freedom of speech and allowed police to jail people indefinitely.

However, Mansour's spokesman, Ahmed El Meslemani, said Monday in a televised news conference that the government has no plans to declare emergency law.

Still, the National Defense Council has issued a stern warning to protesters backing Morsy to end their protests or face "decisive decisions" for violating the law, and El-Beblawi said the government cannot stand by while protesters disrupt normal routines.

On Monday, Military helicopters dropped leaflets on pro-Morsy protesters in Rabaa al-Adawiya and appealed for them not to approach military installations and units, EGYnews said.

"We call on everyone to cooperate and respond to the instructions of the armed forces personnel in order for the security and stability of the country. No violence. Do not sabotage. No bloodshed," the leaflets read.